Health is the unity and harmony of body, mind, and spirit in relationship with God, self, others, and the environment.
Health Ministries Network of Minnesota (HMN-MN) is a nonprofit, 501(c)3, interfaith organization committed to encouraging, supporting and developing whole-person ministries throughout Minnesota. We welcome people from adjoining states to be part of this network as affiliate members.
Resources
Health Care Reform Links: Faithful Reform in Health Care . Power point on Health Care Reform 2010 www.healthpartners.com/files/48013.ppt
International Parish Nurse Resource Center is found at http:\\www.ipnrc.org
A good resource for parish nurse ministries on many subjects including- Blood Pressure Screening/Hypertension Protocol PDF file to print. See the protocol which is good for all blood pressure screeners to follow. It follows the American Heart Association's guidelines and www.WebMD.com.
Addressing Health Disparities and Health Inequities a National Council of Churches Health Care Alert 12/2008. Article by
Barbara T. Baylor, MPH, Minister for Health Care Justice, Justice and Witness Ministries, United Church of Christ.
The faith community has been integral to the success of social reform movements in the U.S. It is because of this that addressing health disparities as part of the health care justice discussion is crucial. Read the article at the link above.
Blood Pressure Translation Kit
Spreading the message about high blood pressure in multiple languages Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota and the American Heart Association have teamed up to create a language translation kit for self-testing blood pressure machines. The kit is designed to easily fit on most community-based electronic blood pressure machines. The kit translates instructions on use of the machines in Spanish, Somali and Hmong. A poster designed for placement near blood pressure machines, and translated patient education materials are also available. The poster provides detailed instructions on how to use the machines and describes factors that can temporarily affect blood pressure such as caffeine and food.
If you would like to request a free translation kit, poster, or patient education materials contact Lori Flaig @ 651-662.2945 or lori_m_flaig@bluecrossmn.com. Please provide your name, mailing address, and the number of kits you would like sent to you.
Rural Health
For an excellent resource on issues facing rural health ministry partners visit the following site: http://www.faithhealth.org/rural.shtml. This site lists twenty areas of concern that face the more rural Greater Minnesota.
Christos Center for Spiritual Formation encourages the spiritual quest through historic traditions of prayer, meditation and spiritual direction.
www.christoscenter.org Center for Spirituality and Healing at the University of Minnesota's has an online learning series other resources at www.csh.umn.edu
Comparison of community nurses and common lay ministries:
Community Based Nurses (PDF 72KB) is a side-by-side comparison of the different types of community nursing that includes faith community nursing. Faith Based Ministries(PDF 52KB) is a side-by-side description of common ministries that affect the health of a congregation.
Roots and Visions for Health Ministry (PDF 196KB)
There are many "Roots" that each person today can remember in their own experiences in the parish nursing/health ministries journeys. I want to briefly reflect on some of the themes and aspects that have been the foundations for this movement in which I have been privileged to participate. (These comments represent my personal observations and ideas). -- Rev. David F. Carlson, M.Div., S.T.M.
Library Special Collection of Health Ministries related materials (PDF 36KB)
The Hennepin County Library System has agreed to house, maintain, and distribute health ministry resource materials. To find a particular book, video or other resource material, visit their web site at www.hclib.org. The materials are available for loan to Minnesota residents.
Parish Nursing: Practical Advice for Limiting Liability Concerns (PDF 68KB)
For nurses, accusations of negligence and malpractice are becoming more and more commonplace. The unfortunate reality is that most nursing procedures are created by attorneys and claims adjusters in response to lawsuits. For the nurse who strictly follows the written procedures in his or her job, accusations of negligence or malpractice should not get serious consideration. But having an understanding of the history and basis for the procedures he or she follows is an even better way to avoid becoming known as “Defendant.” This article will examine the basis for lawsuits against nurses – with a particular emphasis on parish nurses – and will illustrate the ways in which these nurses, and their respective employers, can avoid being sued for malpractice or negligence.